The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-09-27
RASCALLY MENOlCANTS.
The Astonishing Confessions of a Pagan In
the Beggar Business

h0SSalIr m6NOISHN =.
The Astonishing Confessions of a Pagan In
the Beggar Business
"A year ago l kept boarding house
on Carver street, which was the gen.
eral headquarters for the crowd. At
no time were there less than dozen
men and women who earned their liv-
ing solely by working the street The
average number of boarders was about
twenty. They were mostly natives of
Belgium, who spoke French freely and
were frequently mistaken for French
people. Some were Italians and few
Germans. Perhaps half dozen French
men might be found among them, but
some way they did not seem to like the
business, OF else they We're too proud
to follow it up.
81 was master of the house and got
so much money every week for board
and lodging, besides the professional
advantages. If they didn't pay up
prompt they had to get out 1t was a
principle of the house not to do los
ing business. Yes, I'll show you over
the house.
That bed over i'm the corner used TO
be occupied by an old fellow who
worked Temple Place on the blind
musician racket. He looked like a
wreck anyway, and if il hadn't been
for his red nose and his easy way of
finding his way around he would have
made big success. As it was he didn't
do very bad. After four years work
in New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
he carried away four thousand dollars
back to Belgium. He has a son who
expects to start next summer with as
much more.
"In the next room lodged a fellow by
The name of La Fitte, who was over
six feet high and strong enough to
knock out an OK. He played the
broken-arm racket one whole winter
and used to average from six to- ten
dollars day.
Then there was another man who
had a bear. He didn't do as well in
Boston as he did in New York and be-
fore he left town he was disguised with
Boston. He was an Englishman and
drank ale enough TO drown his beast.
| asked him once why it was that he
left so sudden. He said that Boston
was played out and that ii wouldn't
give any chance to gentleman trying
TO earn an honest penny"
With these words the man once more
started down stairs.
How much did your bOarders
maker" inquired the reporter.
at all depended upon their profess
sional ability" was the reply. Some
used TO make as high "a ten dollars a
day on the average. Why, there was
one teller with both legs cut off who
used to room here, who got five dollars
a week from woman on Beacon street
one whole season. He was walking
up Charles street one day. and near
the Beacon street crossing tried his old
trick of getting nearly rum over by
horse-car. Two old ladies saw him a.
he waddled along, using his sticks to
help the leather stumpS which he uses
for feet. The driver didn't see him
until he seemed almost under the
horses feet. Then he put on the
brakes. Those ladies were scared. il
seemed like such narrow escape.
They needn't have been, because he
was n stumper in long practice and
knew just what risk he could afford To
run. At just the right minute he got
out of the way. Pretty soon the old
ladies overlook him, and piiied his bad
luck in being cut off that way. He
told good story about a sickly wife
and hungry children.
These old ladies told him To call
next day, and he came down TO the
house and bet the boys a bottle of
wine that he would stick the old ladies'
for ten He went to see them per
agreement, came back with a new
crisp ten-dollar bill and an order ON a
downtown lawyer. who was the old
lady's attorney, for weekly pension
of five dollars. This caused much fun
among the boys. and they helped
Jacques spend - whole amount be-
fore morning. That gift made seven
of the dirtiest beggars in Boston roy
ally drunk. Boston Globe.